Checking mechanism for detecting yarn breakages in open end spinning machines

ABSTRACT

Yarn breakage-detecting mechanism for open end spinning machines, such as those in which a spinning chamber is used which operates under pressure. On the outer end of the withdrawing tube of the chamber there is a sidewardly extending extension piece having a groove on its upper surface communicating with the mouth of the tube. A yarn tension checking and fibrous material feeding controlling lever is mounted on a pivot at one side of the tube, the lever having a plate attached to its upper end. The parts are so arranged that when the yarn is unbroken and extends from the mouth of the tube to yarn-withdrawing rolls, the yarn engages the outer edge of the plate to maintain the lever in its fibrous material feeding position. When the yarn breaks, the lever tips to stop the feeding of fibrous material, the plate then covering the groove on the extension. To repair the breakage, a yarn is introduced into the groove and thence into the withdrawing tube. When the end of the yarn is inside the spinning chamber, the yarn is automatically placed under tension, thereby to hold the lever in its fibrous material feeding position.

limited @tates Patent Prochazka et all [151 Em i -3AM 1 Feb. 122 197? lich, Cerveny Kostelec, both of Czechoslovakia Eliteir, Zavody textilhino shbjirenstri, Liberec, Czechoslovakia 22 Filed: Mar. 9, 11970 21 AppLNo: 17,7214

[73] Assignee:

[30] Foreign Application Priority 11am Mar. 10, 1969 Czechoslovakia ..17l5/69 [52] U5. Ck... .57/s3, 57/5895, 57/80 [51] llnt.Cl. ..lDl)1lh13/1;&D0lh 13/16,]D01h 1/12 [58] Field oil Search ..57/58.89-58.95, 57/80, 81, 83

[56] ll lellerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1967 Mikulecky et al. ..57/58.89 X 11/1967 Elias et a1. ..57/58.95

3,462,936 8/1969 Doucek et a1 ..57/8O Primary Examiner-John Petrakes Attorney-Arthur O. lilein [57 Ansrmcr Yarn breakagedetecting mechanism for open end spinning machines, such as those in which a spinning chamber is used which operates under pressure. On the outer end of the withdrawing tube of the chamber there is a sidewardly extending extension piece having a groove on its upper surface cornmunicating with the mouth of the tube. A yarn tension checking and fibrous material feeding controlling lever is mounted on a pivot at one side of the tube, the lever having a plate attached to its upper end. The parts are so arranged that when the yarn is unbroken and extends from the mouth of the tube to yam-withdrawing rolls, the yarn engages the outer edge of the plate to maintain the lever in its fibrous material feeding position. When the yarn breaks, the lever tips to stop the feeding of fibrous material, the plate then covering the groove on the extension. To repair the breakage, a yarn is introduced into the groove and thence into the withdrawing tube. When the end of the yarn is inside the spinning chamber, the yarn is automatically placed under tension, thereby to hold the lever in its fibrous material feeding position.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CHECKING MECHANISM FUR DETECTING YARN EREAEAGES IN OPEN ENllI SPINNING MACHINES The present invention relates to a checking mechanism for detecting yarn breakages in open end yarn-spinning machines; such mechanism is particularly adapted for use with machines in which a spinning chamber under pressure is used, although it is not limited thereto.

Various embodiments of checking mechanisms for detecting yarn breakages in spinning machines of the type indicated above are known. Said mechanisms are usually situated between the withdrawing tube of the spinning unit and the withdrawing rollers. These checking mechanisms work on the basis of various principles, e.g., mechanical, electromagnetic, or pneumatic or other similar principles. All types of checking mechanisms, however, have one similar element, i.e., a swingable lever, the position of which is determined by the tension of the yarn to be withdrawn from the spinning unit. Upon swinging said lever into the switching-off position upon yarn breakage, a mechanism for either directly stopping or for emitting a pulse for stopping the feeding of fibrous material into the spinning unit, is actuated. The contact part of the swingable lever is usually made of wire, the bent end of which is the actual yarn feeding part. Upon spinning-in, the yarn is introduced at first into the withdrawing tube of the spinning unit and only afterwards behind the contact part of the lever, which is acted upon by the pull of the said yarn. In view of the fact that the bent end of the contact part of the swingable lever is situated in the immediate proximity of the mouth of the withdrawing tube of the spinning unit, the work of the attendant is made more difficult when spinning-in, due to double reintroduction of the yarn end, first into the withdrawing tube, and second, behind the contact part of the lever.

Another embodiment is known, in which the withdrawing tube of the spinning unit is made swingable. Such an arrangement means some facilitation of the attendant's work; however, certain complications arise in the operation when using the said arrangement. It is necessary for the purpose of operation to make the connection quite rigid and a joint or flexible connection quite elaborate, particularly due to the requirements ofthe system in which the mechanism is used.

The checking mechanism according to the present invention has for its purpose the mitigation of the above disadvantages inherent in the embodiments known hitherto. The present checking mechanism includes an extension mounted on the mouth of the withdrawing tube of the spinning unit, and a swingable lever cooperating with the said extension.

Further features of the checking mechanism according to the present invention are mentioned in the following specification and shown in the form of an exemplary embodiment in the accompanying drawings, of which FIG. I is a schematic view, partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section of a checking mechanism in accordance with the invention, such mechanism being shown employed with a spinning machine;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism as shown in FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. I but with the parts in the position which they assume upon spinning-in.

The checking mechanism according to the present invention consists of an extension piece 2, mounted on to the mouth of the withdrawing tube 1. The extension piece is made in form of a knee and is provided in the part above the mouth of the withdrawing tube ll of a spinning unit 8 with a groove 2', the end of which debouches into the withdrawing tube 1 of the spinning unit. A swingable lever 4, mounted swingably about pivot on the stationary part of the machine, cooperates with the said extension piece 2. The contact part 4 of the swingable lever 4 is made in the form of a plate, the width of which is at least equal to or larger than the width of groove 2 in the extension piece 2. The lower end of the swingable lever 4 is connected to a mechanism or device to be described, which interrupts either directly or by emitting a pulse, the feeding of fibrous material into the corresponding spinning unit a upon breakage of yarn 3, which leaves the mouth of the withdrawing tube l of the not shown spinning unit. Above the swingable lever, withdrawing rollers 6,7 are situated for withdrawing yarn 3 from the withdrawing tube 1 of the spinning unit 8 to a winding mechanism (not shown),

As shown in FIG. ll, sliver or roving 9 is fed to the feeding opening 10 of unit 8 by cooperating rolls 111,112 of which roll ill is shown as being driven. A rotatable driving means, here shown as a shaft T4, is drivingly connected to roll lll through a selectively engageable clutch 115. The clutch is of the electromagnetically controlled type, the clutch being engaged when the lever 4 is positioned as in FIG. I, by being energized through a circuit 17 in which a mercury switch 16 mounted on the lower end of lever 4 is interposed. When the lever 4 tips into the position of FIG. 3, upon the breakage of yarn 3, the switch 16 opens circuit 17 and thereby disengages clutch 15. Thus the feeding of fibrous material into the spinning unit 8 is now stopped.

The mechanism according to the present invention works as follows:

In FIG. 1 yarn 3 is shown being withdrawn by withdrawing rollers 6,7 from the mouth of the withdrawing tube 1 of the spinning unit 8 through the extension piece 2 beside the swingable lever 4, the upper, contact part 4' of which is in contact with the yarn 3. Rollers 6,7 forward yarn 3 to winding mechanism, not shown. When yarn breakage takes place due to any reason, the tension of yarn 3 drops and the swingable lever 4 drops into its FIG. 3 position, swinging into the position S, as shown. The contact part 4' 'now bears with its whole surface against the extension piece 2, whereupon groove 2 in said extension piece is covered (FIG. 3). There is thus formed an extension of the mouth of the withdrawing tube ll of the spinning unit 8. The lower part of the swingable lever 4, upon swinging in the direction opposite to S, actuates the abovedescribed device for stopping the feeding of fibrous material into the spinning unit 8. This device can also be constituted by a microswitch, a part of a mechanical coupling, or a similar device. The rolls 6,7 are also stopped upon the loss of tension in yarn 3.

Upon removing the yarn breakage, yarn 3 is again introduced into the mouth of the withdrawing tube ll of the spinning unit through that part of the groove 2 of the extension piece 2 which is covered by the contact part 4' of the swingable lever 4. As soon as the end of yarn 3 is inside the spinning chamber, rolls 6,7 are started, and the tension of yarn 3 is renewed. Because said yarn bears against the contact part 4 of the swingable lever 4, the yarn. restores lever 4 to the position shown in FIG. I. This causes the device I5, l6, 17 again to feed fibrous material into the spinning unit 8, and the spinning process is carried on in the normal manner.

The advantage of the mechanism according to the present invention consists, upon comparison with the devices known hitherto, of the fact that it is extremely simple and reliable in its function, and particularly in that said mechanism removes double introduction of yarn upon spinning-in, thus substantially simplifying the task of attending the machine.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described with reference to one preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a system including an open end yarn-spinning machine having means for feeding fibrous material into the machine, a yarn withdrawal tube through which yarn is withdrawn in a predetermined path from the machine, and means beyond the outer end of the yarn withdrawal tube for pulling the yarn therefrom, the improvement which comprises a lateral extension on the outer end of the yarn withdrawal tube, said extension having a groove therein, a swingable lever having an arm with an end portion in the form of a plate which overlies and closely covers the groove in the extension when the lever is in a first terminal position which it assumes upon yarn breakage,

said end portion lying spaced from the extension and engaging to check the tension of a run of yarn outwardly of the outer end of the withdrawal tube when the lever is in its second terminal position, the grooved extension and end portion of the lever providing a yarn receiving passage therebetween communicating with said predetermined path when the lever is in its first terminal position, and means operated by the lever to stop the means for feeding fibrous material into the spinning machine upon the breakage of yarn issuing therefrom and the swinging of the lever into its first terminal position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein yarn withdrawn from the spinning machine travels upwardly in the yarn withdrawal tube and wherein the extension is affixed to the upper end of the yarn withdrawal tube.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the groove in the extension leads inwardly to the path of withdrawal of the yarn, and wherein the plate on the end portion of the lever covers said groove to provide the yarn receiving passage when the lever is in its first terminal position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the extension is generally of L-shape, a first horizontal leg of the extension being connected at its outer end to the tube, the second vertical leg of the extension being disposed parallel to and beyond the tube, said groove extending along both legs of the extension.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the end portion of the lever has a width at least as great as that of the groove in the horizontal leg of the extension, the plate on the end portion of the lever when in its first terminal position leaving the groove in the vertical leg of the extension and the remainder of the groove in the horizontal leg of the extension open for the feeding of yarn thereinto.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means which stops the means for feeding fibrous material into the spinning machine upon the breakage of yarn, starts such means when the lever is thrust into its second terminal position by engagement of a tensioned run of yarn with the outer portion thereof.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lever is a first-class lever and comprises a second arm, the second arm being connected to control means constituting a part of the means operated by the lever to stop the means for feeding fibrous material into the spinning machine. 

1. In a system including an open end yarn-spinning machine having means for feeding fibrous material into the machine, a yarn withdrawal tube through which yarn is withdrawn in a predetermined path from the machine, and means beyond the outer end of the yarn withdrawal tube for pulling the yarn therefrom, the improvement which comprises a lateral extension on the outer end of the yarn withdrawal tube, said extension having a groove therein, a swingable lever having an arm with an end portion in the form of a plate which overlies and closely covers the groove in the extension when the lever is in a first terminal position which it assumes upon yarn breakage, said end portion lying spaced from the extension and engaging to check the tension of a run of yarn outwardly of the outer end of the withdrawal tube when the lever is in its second terminal position, the grooved extension and end portion of the lever providing a yarn receiving passage therebetween communicating with said predetermined path when the lever is in its first terminal position, and means operated by the lever to stop the means for feeding fibrous material into the spinning machine upon the breakage of yarn issuing therefrom and the swinging of the lever into its first terminal position.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein yarn withdrawn from the spinning machine travels upwardly in the yarn withdrawal tube and wherein the extension is affixed to the upper end of the yarn withdrawal tube.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the groove in the extension leads inwardly to the path of withdrawal of the yarn, and wherein the plate on the end portion of the lever covers said groove to provide the yarn receiving passage when the lever is in its first terminal position.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the extension is generally of L-shape, a first horizontal leg of the extension being connected at its outer end to the tube, the second vertical leg of the extension being disposed parallel to and beyond the tube, said groove extending along both legs of the extension.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the end portion of the lever has a width at least as great as that of the groove in the horizontal leg of the extension, the plate on the end portion of the lever when in its first terminal position leaving the groove in the vertical leg of the extension and the remainder of the groove in the horizontal leg of the extension open for the feeding of yarn thereInto.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means which stops the means for feeding fibrous material into the spinning machine upon the breakage of yarn, starts such means when the lever is thrust into its second terminal position by engagement of a tensioned run of yarn with the outer portion thereof.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lever is a first-class lever and comprises a second arm, the second arm being connected to control means constituting a part of the means operated by the lever to stop the means for feeding fibrous material into the spinning machine. 